Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-07-25
WILL HE GET FAIR PLAY?
Jake Kilrain's Prospects IL He Meets
Jem Smith.


Jem Smith.
Especial Correspondence
NEW York, July Is.
The probability of an international mill be-
ing arranged between Jake Kilrain and Jem
Smith is provoking much discussion as to the
formers chances of getting fair play on the
other side Of the water. As have previously
expressed myself, think Kilran's hackers
would be foolish in the extreme to allow their
man to do battle with Smith within any rea-
sonable distance Of England unless some place
could be obtained where the contest could be
brought off in public and under the watchful
eyes Of the police authorities. Let us review
the case of John c. Heenan, who battled
twice in England for the worlds champion
ship, first with Sayers and afterward with
Tom King.
will first take up his great and gallant
battle with Sayers This occurred at Farm
borough, England, April II, 1860. AS an
illustration OF the fair play to be expected by
an American pugilist in England, I might
here state that several times before the event
full day arrived Heenan had been run from
one training place to another by officers of
the law, and only ten days before the fight he
was bound over in the sum of 9l00 to keep
the peace for one year. During all this time,
when Heenan's chances of winning were
being seriously jeopardized, in that his train
ing was as a matter of course being inter
fered with by these harassing Interruptions,
Sayers was allowed to pursue the even tenor
of his way, except one occasion, when ridic-
ulous cut and dried, and, of course unsuc.
cessful, attempt was made to arrest him,
But despite oil these disappointments, it is
a matter of prize ring history that Heenan
had Sayers practically whipped in the thirty
seventh round, when the latter's friends, sec
ing that there was no hope for their man,
broke into the ring and the referee. like ctr,
deserted his post, knowing that if he re.
manned he would be obliged in a few minutes
to render decision in Heenan's favor, which
he was afraid to do After fighting several
rounds without this cowardly official Savers
was scarcely able to stand, and one more
round would have settled the business,
Sayers' friends, more unfair than the gallant
fellow himself, now cut the ropes, of course
putting an end to the battle at the same time.
Heenan was mad with despair at thus being
swindled out of a hard earned victory, and,
rushing into his antagonists corner, 10
banged Sayers and his second right and left,
and then started alone on q dead run for the
railway station, about mile distant while
Sayers, more dead than alive, was carried to
an adjoining building by some friends, the
crowd respectfully following in the wake of
their hero. great many English papers de-
clared that Sayers might still have won if the
battle had not been broken up. OF course
this statement cannot be denied, as nothing
i, impossible, but it would have required
akin to a miracle to have made
him win. At any rate, it is remarkably
significant fact that Sayers preferred to re-
lnquish the championship, which at that
time meant something, sooner than again
face the terrible Yankees fists. And Savers
was no coward, either.
On the 10th day of December, 1868, Hee-
nan got another taste, or rather an entire
mouthful, of British fair play. On that &C.
casion he had the formidable Tom King as a
vis-a-vis, at Wadhurst, England In the
eighteenth round of this battle, Keenan,
whipped King as fairly as any man ever was
whipped. There was a clinch and the Ameri-
can threw his man heavily. In falling
Kings head struck one of the stakes. King
was apparently lifeless and many of the
spectators, under the impression that the
battle had terminated fatally. fastened to
make themselves scarce in that vicinity
The London prize ring rules, under which
The men fought, allow rest of thirty seconds
between each round. King was carried to
were Immediately administered. The thirty
seconds allowed by the rules pass, and no
signs of life are shown by the Briton. Sixty
seconds, ninety seconds, have elapsed. and
still the eyes of the stalwart pugilist remain
half closed and set like those of a corpse
When the second hand OF the timekeeper's
watch indicate 100 seconds, King begins to
revive, and just l23 seconds, or more than
two minutes, from the time he was thrown.
he is again on his feet ready TO face the
"Benicia Boy" to whom, according to the
rules, the fight should have been awarded
more than one minute and a half previously.
The rest of it is easily told. Heenan, wLo
was as fresh as q cricket when he threw
King, now staggered and reeled about the
ring like drunken man, apparently not
being aware of the presence of his antagonist,
who, although still very weak, nevertheless
made chopping block Of Heenan, until, at
the end of the twenty fifth round, the poison
or drug administered to him while the Briton
was lying unconscious on the ground finished
Tho gallant American, who never entered
ring thereafter
Now. i'll the face of the above statements.
which can be verified, is it at all unreason.
able for me to assert that neither Kilrain nor
any other American has any right to expect
i'4 Pioy oh Uho o'hei sue, Especially "nen
ne goes there for the specific purpose OF
SCATTERING such an idol as the aesthetic Mr..
lem Smith, In relation to the drugging or
poisoning episode, it is only f9jr to the other
side to state that Jack Mcdonald Heenan's
trainer, and an American at that, was openly
charged with having sold his principal out
Heenan, too, was just as openly accused of
having sold the fight for ESQ $4,000, but
neither accusation was ever subStantiated
Mr.. Jake Kilrain would do well to carefully
cad the above, and, as the boys say, "put
t in his pipe and smoke it," before he posi-
lively makes a match to fight in Europe. OF
'ourse, every intelligent sporting man fully
appreciates that the battle will really be only
or tho championship of England, as the
worlds champion, John L. Sullivan, could
'asily, in proper condition, whip both Of the
comhatants ON the sana dax